Wegovy weight loss pill now available in UK - here's what you need to know
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- Wegovy launched in the UK as a once-daily semaglutide pill available privately from High Street and online pharmacies, though it is not yet on the NHS and requires a consultation like the injection does.
- Eligibility mirrors the jab: a BMI of 30+ (obese) or 27-30 (overweight) with weight-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure — and under-18s, pregnant or breastfeeding patients are excluded.
- In a 64-week trial alongside reduced-calorie diet and exercise, people taking Wegovy tablets lost on average 13.61% of body weight, compared with 2.18% on placebo.
- Pharmacies are pricing the lowest 1.5mg daily dose at £99/month and the maximum 25mg dose at £199/month, with some offering limited-time introductory offers; whether the pill undercuts the jab long-term remains unproven.
- The pill carries a strict daily routine: fast for at least 8 hours beforehand, swallow with up to 120ml of plain water on an empty stomach, and wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets.
- NICE will decide on NHS availability after reviewing the manufacturer's trial data for cost-effectiveness, with no timeline confirmed; the tablet recently became the first of its kind cleared by the MHRA.
- Susan Jebb, professor of diet and population health at the University of Oxford, called the drugs a potential long-term treatment akin to blood pressure or cholesterol medication but warned against leaning on them to solve obesity.
Why it matters: After MHRA clearance, Wegovy's daily pill gives needle-shy UK patients a private option priced at £99–£199/month, with trial data showing 13.6% body-weight loss — but NHS access for the millions who would clinically qualify still hinges on a NICE cost-effectiveness review that has no confirmed timeline.
